Building construction



Oct. 3, 1944. "R. L. DAVISON BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 15, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR oberi L. Dawson A kz TORNEY C R. L. DAVISON BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed. May 15, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR beri L Davison ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1944. R. L. DAVISON BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 15, 1941 INVENTQR L. Dawson Patented Oct. 3, 1944 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Robert L. Damn, New York, N. n, assirnor to John B. Pierce Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 15, 1941, Serial No. 393,498 4 Claims. (01. 20-2) This invention relates to building construction, and has particular reference to types of building construction wherein panels are employed as structural elements in the wall strucprimarily for their structural strength, and composite panels which are employed primarily for their insulating values and only secondarily for structural reasons.

As is fully set forth in -U. S. Patent No. 2,235,811, issued March 25, 1941, to, the herein applicant, and entitled Panel wall structural unit and building construction, panel units are now used in wall construction as deep beams or girders extending between relatively widely spaced column uprights, or posts, and serving to receive and distribute, in themselves, floor and/or roof loads. 1

Pursuant to the present invention, the lower door of the building is supported directly by the foundation, while the upper floor, and/or the roof, is supported by an upper course, and/or courses, of structural panels, extending between and secured to relatively widely spaced column uprights, or posts, which are anchored to the foundation. The wall structure is further made up of'penela, composite in nature, forming a lower course.

These composite panels are employed chiedy for their insulating value, since they are relatively thick, and comprise insulat m material which is reinforced and weatherresistantly faced. It has been found that, while it is not advantag, in most instances, to em ploy such composite panels as deep beams or girders, theydo provide suflicient structural connection of the relatively widely spaced column uprighioor posts, adiacent their lower ends, to effectively reinforce the building against sub= stantially horizontal stresses, such as wind pres sures. And, by facing the upper course of structural panels with similar composite panels, it has been found that important insulation is added, stre of the building is increased, and

the resulting exterior appearance is enhanced in architectural appeal. 1

A feature of the invention resides in the preferred type of foundation whereinbeams extend between foundation piers, and define a continuous foundation upon which the floor structure is supported.

A further feature resides in the means emplayed for weather-sealing the joints of the building construction.

Further features and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view, from the front, of a dwelling house embodying a preferred form of building construction pursuant to the invention;

Fig. 2, ahorizontal section throughthe building of Fig. 1 taken at floor level and presenting a'plan view of the fioor construction as it rests upon the foundation; portions of the flooring and portions of the floor construction as a whole are broken away to reveal otherwise hidden p rts;

Fig. 3, an enlarged perspective view of a fragmentary detail comprising one of the corner foundation piers together with intersecting foundationv beams and embedded anchor suppor for a. column upright, or post;

Fig, 4, a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating one of the foundation piers intermediate those at the corners; Y

Fig. 5, an enlarged and condensed vertical section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, an enlarged vertical section taken on the line M, Fig. l; v

, Fig. 7, an enlarged perspective view of ,a fragmentary detail at the upper end of the front right-hand corner of the building of Fig.. 1 with certain facing panels, as well as the roof structure, removed;

. Fig. 8, a view similar to that of Fig. 7 but taken at the lower intermediate portion of the front right-hand corner of the building of Fig. l with window structure and weather-sealing strips removed and with an insert corner portion oi the lower sill element shown in a removed position;

Fig. 9, an enlarged view in horizontal section of a fentary detail showing how weathersealing strips finish off and protect intersecting composite panels at one of the comer posts;

Fig. iii, an enlarged view in perspective, partly in vertical section, of a fragmentary detail comprising an upper and a lower composite panel unit tying in with a horizontal sill element, the resulting joinders being weather-sealed pursuant to the invention; Fig. 11, an enlarged perspective, partly in vertical section, of a fragmentary detail comprising the lower part of a composite panel of the lower course tying in with the floor construction and with a foundation beam;

Fig. 12, an enlarged view in horizontal section illustrating another instance of the use of a weather-sealing strip pursuant to the invention;

and

Fig. 13, an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line I3-l3, Fig. 1;

The specific embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 is a one-story dwelling house with gable sloping roof. It should be realized, however, that considerable .latitude of construction is possible withinthe broad structural principles set forth. The invention resides primarily in the wall structure. Any desired type of floor construction, and any desired type of roof construction. whether it be sloping or fiat, may be employed. Furthermore, the invention is not restricted to a onestory construction. A multi-story building may be erected according to the broad structural principles here disclosed.

The dwelling house of Fig. 1 comprises a lower course Ill of panels, and an upper course ll of panels. The lower course It extends completely around the building just above the foundation line. The upper course I l comprehends both the front and the back of the building, but does not extend around the gable ends thereof. The componentpanels of the upper course I I are utilized as girders for supporting the roof structure II. The gable ends, indicated at l3, comprise gable end frames, and panels component thereto. An

intermediate window-providing course ll extends, horizontally, completely around the building, and, vertically, from the lower course III to the upper course H, and to the gable ends it, thus completing the walls of the building. A door-way indicated generally 9, is provided at a suitable location in the wall structure, beingadvantageously intermediate one of the longitudinal side walls, and extending through the lower course l and the intermediate course H.

The foundation of the building is preferably provided, pursuant to the invention, by spaced piers interconnected by beams. Other types of foundations may, however, be employed. The foundation piers, with interconnecting beams of a type found particularly advantageous, are illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The comer piers are here indicated l5, respectively, and those piers intermediate the corner piers I5 are here indicated I6, respectively. The interconnecting beams, irrespective of length, are designated l1, respectively.

Foundation piers l5 and I6 are preferably built-up of pre-cast hollow concrete blocks, designated I51: and "a. respectively. The inter- I connecting beams II are preferably pre-cast reinforced concrete I-beam's, all of identical formation'regardless of length.- The beams II are set into place between mutually adjacent piers with their ends resting on the tops of said mutually adjacent piers. Suitable forms (not shown) are provided at the tops or the respective piers, and concrete is cast on the job for securely uniting the respective beams H with the respective piers l5 and I0. The resulting cast-on-the job' conand lib, respectively. Sets of anchor straps I l and I9, preferably strap iron or steel, are embedded in the concrete formations lib and "b,

directly to the foundation piers.

respectively, during the casting operation for providing anchorage for column uprights, or posts, 25, component to the wall structure of the building.

The'resulting foundation is firm and strong,

and provides adequate bearing surfaces for the fioor and wall structures of the building, as well as adequate anchorage for the skeleton framework.

The floor construction may be of any desired type. It has been found advantageous, however, see Fig. 2, to employ a central longitudinal girder 20, which is supported at its ends on two opposite piers l6, and, adjacent its mid-portion, on

a similar concrete pier 2|. The girder 20 is preferably wood having secured to its sides supporting flange pieces 20a and 20b, respectively, upon which rest ends of the respective floor joists 22. The other ends of the respective fioor joists 22 rest upon the pre-cast concrete I-beams II, as illustrated. The joists at the two opposite ends of the building rest entirely on their corresponding concrete beams 11, and plates, designated 23, respectively, are secured transversely along the terminal ends of the intermediate joists 2!. Flooring 14 is applied over the joists in conventional manner.

- The posts, 25, as explained above, are secured to their respective foundation piers by means of either the set of anchorstraps It or the set It. They rest on their respective foundation piers in a vertically upright position, and, like the foundation piers, are relatively widely spaced apart, defining, in general, the peripheral configuration of the building. They form basic elements of the structural framework of the building, and serve to transmit second floor and/or roof loads The posts 25 are interconnected and tied into a rigid framework by horizontally extending elements which preferably fit into, and are secured within, notches cut in the respective posts, as will be explained hereinafter. 1

While the posts 25 serve to transmit second story and/or the roof loads to the foundation piers, such loads are distributed directly to the posts by panels of some rigid, substantially homo;- geneous material, preferably plywood, which function in the manner of deep beams or girders. Such panels are advantageously supplied com;- plete with appurtenant ledger, and other related structural elements, in the form of prefabricated panel structural units 30, and provide upper horizontally extending interconnecting element, mentioned above. I d The appurtenant elements of a panel structural unit comprise, in the illustrated instance, a longitudinal, load-receiving, ledger 3| secured to the inside face of the panel proper, as, for instance, by gluing; a longitudinal supporting piece, 32, secured to the inside face of the panel proper, at a location immediately below and contiguous to the longitudinal ledger 3|, also desirably by gluing; a, longitudinal sill element 33, secured to the outside face of the panel proper, at a location adjacentthe lower marginal edge thereof, also, desirably, by gluing; and, finally, a longitudinal finish strip 34, secured to the inside face of the panel proper, adjacent the lower marginal edge thereof. also desirably by gluing.

While the load-receiving and load-distributing crete formations are designated generally lib 78 panel unit 30 is here incorporated in a prefabriportions of the posts 25 are notched in a manner appropriate for receiving the component parts of the panel structural units 30 so that the outside faces thereof will lie flush with the outside faces of the respective posts. The manner in which the panel structural units 3!! tie in with the respective posts 25 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 13. It is there seen that the ends of the ledger 3| rest on top of .the respective posts 25, while the panels proper and the supporting pieces 32 fit into appropriately notched portions of the posts.

The drip sill elements 34 and the longitudinal finish strips 34 are not notched into the posts, see Fig. 7, but lie substantially flush with the lateral .faces thereof,

It should be remembered that the panel structural units 30 are placed only along the longi-' ments 35, still referring to Fig. '7, are secured by v gluing. or other appropriate means, to respective lower girts 36, which extend between and are fitted, at their ends, into the respective posts 25 of the gable 'end walls. Corresponding upper girts 37 are, also, fitted, at their ends, into the upper portions of the respective posts 25.

As is seen from Fig. 7, gaps are left'between the ends of the respective sill elements 33 and/or the respective sill elements 35 at the respective posts 25.- These are filled in with suitable sill insert pieces similar to those mentioned hereinafter with reference to the lower sill of the building, and illustrated particularly in Fig. 8. The ends of the respective sill elements are provided with tongues, see 33a and. 35a, which coordinate with similar grooves provided in the still insert pieces. Thus, a continuous horizontal drip sill is provided peripherally of the building and at the top of the intermediate course l4.

Lower sill elements 38, corresponding to the upper sill elements 33 and 35 are secured by gluing, or other suitable means, to longitudinal finish strips 39, and the so-assembled sill uints are positioned between the respective posts 25 at a lower intermediate location, considered with respect tothe heights of the posts 25, for defining the top of the lower course l0 and the bottom of intermediate course l4. Both the sill elements 34 and the finish strips 39 may be fitted into notches appropriately provided in their respective posts 25, and sill insert pieces, as at 40, Fig. 8, are fitted into the gaps left at the .posts. the sill insert pieces being providedv with grooves corresponding to tongues 38a, 38a. of the respective sill elements.

The sill elements 38 and 40' extend continuously about the periphery of the building, except for doorways, and provide a continuous horizontal lower drip sill. Also, in conjunction with the respective finish strips 39, they provide seats as at 4|, Fig. 8, for filler panels and window frames of the intermediate course [4. as well as similar seats for panels of the lower course Ill.

The roofconstruction'may be of any suitable well known type. As here illustrated fragmentarily, see' Fig. 5. it comprises rafters 42 and ceiling joists 43 oined together to provide respective prefabricated gable-formed trus units which commercially as Cemesto board, wherein an inner thickness 45a of cellular board material, such as commercial Celotex," is laminated between outer thicknesses 45b, 45b of asbestos cement board. The inner lamination 45a. of cellular board material is of considerable thickness relative to the laminations 45b, 45b of asbestos cement board, and provides adequate insulation for the building. The outer asbestos cement laminations 45b; 45b provide weather-resistant facings of such rigidityand strength as effectively render' the composite panel capable of performing a structural function in addition to merely curtaining the space between respective posts.

These composite panels 45 of the lower wall course In fit, at their upper edge portions, into the seats provided by the respective lower sills 38 and finish strips 39, and fit flush against the edges of the flooring 24, against the respective floor joists 22, or plates 23, according to whether the panels 45 are in the front, rear, or side walls of the building and against the respective foundation beams H, see especially Fig. 5.

The ends'of the composite panels 45 contiguous with the outer faces of the respective posts 2!, may be secured to the posts 25 by nailing, orother type of securement. Batten strips- 46,'see especially Figlll, are applied longitudinally of the composite panels 45, being advantageously nailed to the respective joists 22, as indicated at 47. As illustrated, the composite panels 45 may extend somewhat below the top level of the foundation, so that the batten strips 44 are approximately at earth level, see Fig. 1.

The joinders between the ends of the composite panels are finished off and made weathertight by means of special weather-sealing strip means of novel construction. Such of those application to the corners of the building are lllustrated in detail in Figs. 9 and 13. They com prise batten strips 48 of angular configuration adapted to fit aboutthe corners of the building, and cloth tape 49, 49, impregnated with a tacky water-proofing compound, which may be asphalt or a composition of various water-proofing constituents, applied, preferably by the use of heat and pressure, to the inside faces of the legs of the batten strips. The weather-sealing strips may be secured in place by nails, as at 50, Fig. 9, driven through the legs of the batten 48 into the composit'e panels and posts 25.

Similar weather-sealing strip means may be employed where the composite panels join with the door frame 8, see Fig. 12. There, the batten strip I has an impregnated cloth strip 52 secured about the faces thereof which are contiguous to the panel and the door frame when the batten strip is secured in place.

'The intermediate course l4 usually comprises a plurality of windows 55, appropriately secured in window frames 58, and a plurality of filler panels 51. The filler panels 51 are preferably of the same composite, insulating type as the can be installed in place in a minimum of time. u

composite panels 45 of the lower wall course l4, and are secured in placeand weather-sealed in substantially the same manner as are the composite panels 45. The windows and window frames, as well as the filler panels, may be arranged as desired to form an attractive looking exterior, as wellas an efllciently lighted interior.

The upper wall course H is completed by the application, to the outside faces of the panel structural units 30, of composite insulating panels 58, similar to the composite panels 45. These may be secured in any suitable manner, as

by gluing or nailing or otherwise, to the ends.

of the panel structural units 30 secured to the posts 25.

Composite panels 59 are applied to the lower and upper girts 36 and 31, respectively, and to the end roof trusses, for completing the gable end walls is. Pre-formed louvre-type units (iii of siding boards, or other suitable material, are provided adjacent the ridge of the roof for ventilation purposes.

Roofing iii of any desired type is applied in well-known manner to the roof construction, aforedescribed, to complete the roof of the building.

Weathensealing strips of the type aforedescribed are applied at all exposed joints, the strips 62 and 63, Fig. 10, being applied immediately above and immediately below the lower sill elements.

The panels 45 effectively brace theentire building against wind pressures, as do likewise, but to a less important extent, the composite panels 58 and 59 ofthe upper wall course H, and of the gable ends l3, respectively. Such composite panels, also, effectively insulate the building against heat and cold.

Whereas this invention is described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be clearly understood that maiii" changes may be made in the particular embodiment, and many other embodiments may be constructed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and generic purview of the invention as set forth herein and in the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. In wall construction, an aligned series of relatively widely spaced posts; deep panel structural units extending between said widely spaced posts, in end-to-end alignment adjacent the upper ends thereof the said deep panel structural units each comprising a panel "proper, fitting and secured at its ends in notches provided in the outer faces of mutually adjacent posts, so that it lies substantially flush with said outer faces of the mutually adjacent posts. a longitudinal ledger piece secured to the inner face of said and resting, at its ends, on the top ends of said mutually adjacent posts. and a longitudinal sup-v porting piece secured to the inner face of said panel proper immediately below and contiguous to said longitudinal ledger piece, and fitting, at its ends, in notches of said mutually adjacent posts; and facing panels secured over the outer faces of said deep panel structural units and said posts and secured to the latter.

2. In building construction, spaced foundation piers, interconnecting beams supported thereon and secured thereto, 'floor joists supported upon said interconnecting beams, conpanel proper adjacent the upper margin thereof,

tinuous plate means said joists and secured thereto, spaced upright posts secured to said foundation piers, and panels secured to adjacent upright posts and to the plate means and floor joists, said panels overlying the outer surface of said interconnecting beams and extending beneath the upper surface thereof.

3. Building construction comprising foundation means: a unitary structural framework including posts secured to and extending upwardly from said foundation means at widely spaced locations therealong defining the general peripheral configuration of the building, elongated, deep panel wall units extending between and secured to mutually adjacent posts adjacent the upper ends thereof only, tying said posts together and serving in the capacity of deep beams for receiving, and transmitting to the posts, roof loads, said deep panel wall units embodying ledger means intimately secured thereto along the respective upper margins thereof and extending into engagement with respectively adjacent posts, and said deep panel wall units being placed to receive load-imparting elements of the roof structure of the building; roof structure having loadimparting elements engaging and supported by said ledger means; and insulating, curtain wall structure enclosing the said structural framework and providing outer peripheral walls for said building construction, said curtain wall structure comprising panel wall units having a body of insulation material faced with relatively dense and hard weather-resistant panels, said panel wall units being secured to said structural framework so as to insulate and finish the walls of said build.-.

ing construction and to reinforce and strengthen said structural framework. I

4. Building construction as recited in claim 3 wherein the deep panel wall units are inset into the outer faces of the posts against which they are secured so that their outer panel faces are flush with the said outer faces of the posts.

ROBERT L. DAVISON.

extending along the ends of 

